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Welding Defects
Welding Defects
Welding Defects
The defects in the weld can be defined as irregularities in the weld metal
produced due to incorrect welding parameters or wrong welding procedures or
wrong combination of filler metal and parent metal.
Weld defect may be in the form of variations from the intended weld bead
shape, size and desired quality. Defects may be on the surface or inside
the weld metal. Certain defects such as cracks are never tolerated but
other defects may be acceptable within permissible limits. Welding defects
may result into the failure of components under service condition, leading
to serious accidents and causing the loss of property and sometimes also
life.
Reasons:
Magnetic arc blow.
Excessive size of electrodes.
Use old small welding speeds during joining of small thickness
plates.
Excessive current conditions.
1.2 Undercut
Undercut area appears like a small notch in the weld interface.
Reasons:
Use of magnetic arc blows with direct current straight polarity.
Undersize electrode and insufficient current conditions etc.
Use of high welding speeds during joining of large thickness plates.
Excessive arc length.
Excessive side manipulation.
Use of damp electrodes.
1.3 Spatter:
During welding operation due to the force of arc, some of the molten metal
particles are jumping from weld pool and falling into other areas of the plate is
called as spatter.
Reasons:
Use of low welding speeds during joining of large thickness plates.
Excessive arc length.
Use of sample electrodes.
1.4 Crater:
At the end of welding in Gas Welding, a shallow spherical
depression is produced known as the crater.
crater -This is due to improper welding technique and is formed at
the end of weld run.
This may be remedied by proper manipulation of the electrode.
when finishing a weld the operator should not draw away the arc
quickly but should maintain the arc without moment until the crater
is filled up.
On re-striking the arc, to continue the weld bead, the arc should
strike approximately 15mm in front of the previous bead and travel
backwards and then forward the direction of welding.
Reason:
Incorrect torch angle or use of large angle at the end of the weld bead.
1.5 Excessive Convexity:
Reasons:
Use of low welding speed with direct current reverse polarity.
excessive current conditions.
Use of large size electrodes for joining of small thickness plates.
Reasons:
1. Incorrect torch angle in gas welding
2. Insufficient current conditions in Arc welding.
3. Joining of high melting point and high thermal conductivity
2.3 Necklace cracking:
In the case of electron beam weld does not penetrate fully, a blind weld results.
In such situations, the molten metal is unable to flow into the penetration
cavity and wet the side walls of the workpieces. This will result in cracking,
known as Necklace Cracking and has been noticed in all materials such as Ti
alloys, stainless steels, nickel base alloys and carbon steels.
2.4 Incompletely filled groove:
Occurs in butt welds.
Causes for incompletely filled groove are:
Inadequate deposition of weld metal.
Use of incorrect size of the electrode.